Keep roads open
Friday, June 24, 2005
A letter to the editor of the Daily Reporter

Editor:

Vacating roads will be very, very expensive to each of us in Hancock County. It will effect every taxpayer in Hancock County. If the 4˝ miles of contested roads near Lilly are closed (CR 100S and Meridian Road), costly alternative routes will need to be created to alleviate the ensuing congestion.

The estimate for alternate routes begins at $12 million. This means hundreds of dollars or more will be added to your and my property tax bill. These roads are essential bypass roads, designated as the beltway around Greenfield by the county and city plans. They carry a significant traffic load.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday at 111 American Legion Place, Suite 146, the Hancock County Plan Commission will meet to approve the comprehensive plan and determine the future of these roads and the future of Hancock County road vacation.

The plan commission is being pressured, on multiple fronts, despite no authoritative legal reasoning, to delete these roads, which are still the subject of litigation, from the comprehensive plan map.

Further, a special amendment has been inserted in the plan to hand over the authority of the plan commission regarding all road vacation provisions and place it solely in the discretion of the county commissioners.

While some other counties amend their plans by chapter, and the statute provides for adopting segments, the plan commission members are being pressured to vote on the plan as a whole, up or down.

To prevent this expensive addition to your property taxes, come to the hearing and voice your concerns. Also, communicate your concerns to:

Plan Commission Members c/o Director Mike Dale, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or mail, 111 American Legion Place, Suite 146, Greenfield, IN 46140 or by phone at 477-1134.

Rosemary Adams Huffman
for Green Woods LLC Indianapolis